Sali Attia, a Muslim woman, is running as the candidate for the small party SÖZ to become the Mayor of Vienna, causing attention in the city. Attia, who is also a teacher in Vienna-Favoriten and wears the hijab, is running with SÖZ under the motto “The new Vienna Bürgermeisterin” and presents the vision of “5 years without racism”. This is not the first time Attia has engaged in such a commitment. SÖZ, founded in 2024, focuses on the interests of Muslims in Austria. Attia had already run for the “Liste GAZA – Stimmen gegen den Völkermord” in 2024, a group that had extremely critical views on Israel and a strong focus on the Palestinian issue. The “Liste GAZA” only received 0.4% of the votes in the National Council elections in 2024, but Attia’s candidacy for SÖZ could help the party gain a broader political platform without directly participating in the municipal elections on April 27th. There is a close exchange between SÖZ and “Liste GAZA” indicating that both parties have a common goal: strengthening Islamic interests and promoting politics directed at Muslim migrants. SÖZ advocates for the introduction of Ramadan as an official holiday and demands annual celebrations of Eid al-Fitr on public squares in Vienna. They also call for the introduction of Ramadan light chains, similar to those in some German cities. Parallel to this, there is constant criticism of Israel and Austrian politics, especially in relation to the Israeli government and the conflicts in the Gaza Strip. Attia’s political agenda with the “Liste GAZA” portrays Israel as a “genocide” perpetrator and criticizes Austrian foreign policy for its support of Israel. The increase in the Muslim population in Vienna, with a proportion of around 35% at Vienna public schools, could further strengthen the political influence of parties like SÖZ and “Liste GAZA” in the future. A 2017 study predicts that by 2046, one-third of the Viennese population could be Muslim. More on the topic – The impact of Ramadan on schools: FPÖ criticizes migration policy.
Vienna’s Muslim Mayor Candidate and Ramadan Official Holiday Aim to Boost Political Representation
